Dwarf
Category:Ark of Boccob Category:Creatures Category:Humanoids The dwarves are an old, hardy race, older than the humans and possibly even older than the elves. They live within the earth, in a harmony that often boggles more surface-bound races - even a hill dwarf can sniff a handful of dirt and tell whether it would be good for planting crops, for example. Their mountain cousins, meanwhile, have such a keen sense of the stone around them that they can tell worked stone from natural hollows, and even how far down they are. =History= The dwarves are an old race, as old as the earth itself, if one goes by their histories. They are stubborn and set in their ways, but only because their ways have historically worked well for them. Under most circumstances, each clan has remained equal to the others, with no clan or individual ruling over any other. Hard lessons have led to the dwarvish aversion to kings, because injudicious monarchies, in their experience, frequently lead to wars. Some might justifiably counter that a well-time king can end wars as well, but dwarves know their histories. There have only been three Great Kings in dwarven history, all charismatic monarchs who united the bickering clans against a common threat. The first Great King, Fearghas son of Finlay, led the dwarven armies against the orcs who at the time controlled the surface lands of Thargna'Tivnel Karkrakna. He and his clan became known as Orcstomp in the wake of their victory. His reign ended a century later, when his own pride prohibited him from backing down against another superior foe in single combat. The second Great King, Rolf son of Hamish, drove the Shadow Elves and their fel magic out of the dwarven tunnels and into the Underlands after the Shadow Elves dared to try to claim the dwarven clanlands as their own. He and his clan became known as Darksmiter. He was forcibly deposed by the clan Kelds after it was discovered that he was using the taxes he collected to pad his own coffers. The Third Great King, Dougal Blackfire son of Aonghus Blackfire, saw that the Kingdoms War placed the entire continent of Erene at risk of destruction, and he stepped between the armies of Anvestris and Tamekiriku to broker peace between the two sides, setting in motion the events that led to the end of the War. =Description= Dwarves are short and stocky, but as heavy as a human. They are broad and stable creatures, perfectly suited to working close to the earth. Their thick fingers are capable of surprisingly fine manipulations, while their strength allows them to dig through all but the hardest stone. The men grow beards as a matter of pride, only trimming them enough to keep them tidy, and they enjoy braiding and ornamenting them, especially for special occasions. Subtypes * Badlands Dwarf * Deep Dwarf * Hill Dwarf * Midgard Dwarf * Mountain Dwarf * Wild Dwarf Languages All dwarves speak some dialect of Dwarvish, and many speak Gnomish as well. =Known Clans= * Anvilsmasher * Badwater * Battlehammer * Blackfire * Copperfist * Darksmiter * Ghoulslayer * Goldbeard * Lockbreaker * Orcstomp * Saltfire * Silverlock * Warblade =Notable dwarves=